Awed By The Choices, Parents Play Santa

SENTINEL SANTA

Mary, a mother of three, peered over the toys stacked nearly as high as her chin. She glanced at the action-figure dolls, the miniature Coca-Cola truck - and then looked back at the Matchbox toys.

''They have everything . . . it's so hard to choose,'' said Mary, her eyes glistening with tears. She was overwhelmed not just by the abundant supply of Christmas toys - more than 25,000 - but by the generosity of those who provided them.

On Monday, Mary and nearly 1,700 others got a taste of the Christmas spirit a few days early as they received Sentinel Santa gifts at the Salvation Army's warehouse-turned-toy store in downtown Orlando.

When the give-away ends Wednesday, children who otherwise would go empty handed this Christmas will each have received at least two toys, said Salvation Army Capt. Dalton Cunningham. The program is providing toys for 27,350 needy Central Florida children.

Sentinel Santa is trying to raise $300,000 this season to cover the cost of the toys and provide grants to local agencies that serve children.

A volunteer corps, including Salvation Army staff, neighborhood helpers and Walt Disney World employees, guided people through the maze of toys, and at times, helped some bewildered parents choose gifts for their children.

''This is amazing,'' said Mary, 28. ''If it wasn't for this, I don't know what I would have done.''

Earlier this year, Mary separated from her husband. Now, jobless, she is raising Tony, 8; Jane, 7; and Barbara, 3.

The Salvation Army invited to their ''toy store'' people who applied for the gifts earlier this fall. Criteria - such as number of dependents, family income and use of public assistance - were used to select the most needy, Cunningham said.

Organizers assigned appointment times to parents instructing them when to arrive at the toy store. Maggie received the earliest appointment - 9 a.m. - but arrived three hours earlier.

''I wanted to get something really good . . . I was afraid they would run out of all the good ones (toys),'' said Maggie, 21, who judiciously picked an educational toy (Sesame Street Jumbo Number Blocks) and a fun toy (a noise-making, toy power saw) for her 3-year-old son.

''He's going to make a lot of noise with this, but that's okay,'' she said. ''He's going to love this.''

A single parent working as a school secretary, Maggie said there would have been no presents for her son without Sentinel Santa's help.

Jessica and the foster children she cares for also would have faced a bleak holiday without the program. Jessica picked a skateboard, a stuffed elephant and other toys for 11-year-old Craig and 2-year-old Ronnie. Jessica, who works in a bakery, is hoping to adopt the children.

After she loaded her car with the toys, Jessica turned and gave a thankful smile to Suzy Adams, a 23-year-old Disney volunteer, who helped her carry the gifts.

Dressed in a yellow T-shirt emblazoned with those famous mouse ears, Adams wished Jessica a merry Christmas, and then, hurriedly returned to the toy store to help other parents.

Adams was as cheerful and as kind as anyone could be, but she didn't linger.

''They all just want to give you a big hug and thank you for making their Christmas,'' Adams said. ''It's just too much for me. I'm such a sap, I'd start crying.''